The Blues have accumulated fifteen points having won all five of their opening games of the season, and thus lead the standings: albeit above second placed Liverpool who have similar points but with an inferior goal difference.

As such, Maurizio Sarri will have to find a way of juggling between the Europa League and the Premier League when Chelsea makes the cross city trip for the local derby.

Chelsea ran riot in their last Premier League outing, as they blitzed 4-1 past Cardiff City at Stamford Bridge last weekend. Sol Bamba hoisted the visitors in front when he let fly with a sumptuous volley in the sixteenth minute, but that only seemed to have triggered the Blues, none more so than Eden Hazard who inspired his side to a 2-1 lead at the break.

The Belgium international came into the fore in the 37th minute with a low strike that restored parity, before doubling his account for the day via a fortuitous deflection seven minutes later. The Chelsea forward then went on to complete the hat-trick deep in the second half by scoring from the spot after Willian was brought down by Bamba.

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Willian himself added the cherry on the cake with a sensational long range strike seven minutes from stoppage time to round up a stirring performance by the Blues.

Whereas Chelsea enjoyed a brilliant outing that saw them elevated to the very summit of the Premier League, Cardiff’s poor run on their return to top flight football extended, as the defeat ensured the Welsh side are still without a win, five games into the campaign.

West Ham United on the other hand registered their first win of the Premier League campaign with a comfortable yet still shocking 3-1 win over Everton last weekend. The visitors went ahead in the eleventh minute through Andriy Yarmolenko who got on the finishing end of a swift counter attack orchestrated by Marko Arnautovic; the Ukrainian scoring his first goal for the club since making the move from Borussia Dortmund in the English summer.

Inspired having opened his goal scoring account of the season, Yarmolenko gave the Hammers a comfortable two-goal cushion as the forward capitalized on a rare error by Jordan Pickford; one that saw the forward curl a brilliant strike right from the edge of the area in the 31st minute.

Gylfi Sigurdsson threw Everton a lifeline by powering a header on Jonjoe Kenny’s cross, but the Toffees were unable to get anything from the match, as Arnautovic struck in the 61st minute with a decisive finish that put the result beyond reach.

Despite starting the season with four successive defeats, the Hammers handed Marco Silva’s side their first defeat of the season; one that elevated them out of the dreaded relegation zone for the first time in the campaign.

Manuel Pellegrini will however be sweating over the fitness of Marko Arnautovic who was taken off shortly after scoring his goal against Everton due to recurring pain behind his left knee. The former Manchester City boss will nonetheless be without Jack Wilshere who has been ruled out for a month having undergone ankle surgery this past Monday, and Javier Hernandez who is still sick.

For Chelsea, Cesc Fabregas’s pre-season knock on the knee still has him sidelined while Marco van Ginkel is out for the rest of the season having undergone knee surgery.

Pedro’s availability over the weekend will however be monitored in the coming days; this after the Spaniard picked up a shoulder injury during their 1-0 win away to PAOK FC in the Europa League on Thursday.

West Ham vs. Chelsea betting predictions

Maurizio Sarri’s tactical nuance has thus far augured well with his players, with wins both domestically and in Europe despite not necessarily playing at their level best. West Ham may have brushed aside Everton, but the Blues look poised to retain their place at the helm with another routine win.